Punnie’s Story: Catcalling is FAR from a minor infraction

It was about 3:30 am on a Friday night/Saturday morning when I decided to walk to the Dunkin’ Donuts near my apartment to grab a scoop of ice cream. I crossed the brightly-lit intersection, seeing in the corners of my eyes, the cars waiting for their light to change. I noted a convertible at the front of the intersection and closest to me, which was fully seated with three men and a girl. Suddenly, I heard a male voice yell from the car, “How much?” With a quick glance back, I retorted, “Go fuck yourself! to which the man haughtily replied, “She said, ‘Go fuck yourself!’ Hahahaha!!!”

Needless to say, I was incredibly offended by this stranger’s unabashed objectification of me and my body, by his diminishing me into something that can be bought. I feel extremely angry thinking about it. The sexual objectification of women in our culture is pervasive. Some people feel that cat-calling is a minor, practically non-issue. But as a young woman in my twenties, I am telling the world that it is far from a minor infraction. Nearly every day, I deal with cat-calling. I’d like to be able to walk out of my apartment to run errands or buy some ice cream without worrying that I will be verbally or physically violated. I cannot wait for our society to be one that demands respect for women at all times.
[got_back]